Broadband speeds explained

When we talk about broadband speeds, there are three different types:

Connection speed: This is the fastest speed between the telephone exchange or street side cabinet and your router. This is the speed you receive into your home and the speed we quote when you buy a new broadband service.

Throughput speed: This is the actual speed you experience on a device (computer / phone / tablet etc.) that’s connected to your broadband over Wi-Fi, or wired connection.

Up to speeds: These are the advertised “up to” speeds which are the maximum speeds broadband services are expected to achieve.

How do I find my broadband speeds?

Connection Speed:

Disconnect a computer’s (laptop or desktop) Wi-Fi connection and connect it directly to your router using an Ethernet cable.

2. Turn off the routers WiFi connection. Instructions on this can be found within the router’s instruction manual.

3. Open the Speedtest by Ookla (http://www.speedtest.net/) website in your choice of browser and follow the onscreen instructions to test your Connection Speed.

Once the test is complete, the Ookla speedtest will show your connection speed. This is the maximum upload and download speed available at the time of the test. Please note that depending on the time of day and usage by other customers on the network, this will vary.

Throughput Speed1. Make Sure your router is emitting a Wi-Fi signal. Instructions on this can be found within the router’s instruction manual.

2. Connect a device (such as a phone or tablet) to the router via the Wi-Fi connection.

3. Open the Speedtest by Ookla (http://www.speedtest.net/) website in your choice of browser and follow the onscreen instructions to test your throughput speed.

4. Once the test is complete, the Ookla speedtest will show your throughput speed on that device, and that point in time.

How can I improve my Throughput Speed?Make sure your router is placed within an open space where you us the internet the most. Make sure the router is away from:

• Big metal objects, such as radiators.• Electrical items such as baby monitors, microwaves and TV Soundbars.• Large amounts of water such as fish tanks.

Your router can broadcast its Wi-Fi over different wireless channels. If a neighbour’s using the same channel as you, this can cause interference. Turn your router off and on again to change your wireless channel.

If you are connecting at peak times such as in the evenings and weekends when people are more likely to be using the internet and competing for Wi-Fi networks in your area, this causes slower speed. If so, you may want to consider upgrading your broadband to a package that better suits your usage.

What can affect my broadband speeds?

Connection speeds: The speed and quality of this depends on how far you live from the nearest telephone exchange or street side cabinet. The longer the line length, the slower the speed.

Throughput speeds: Due to the nature of Wi-Fi, these speeds are naturally lower than your connection speed. These speeds are also affected by other factors such as the layout of your home and interference between your router and your devices.